Through the Window of the Stars
by Shocky
Summary: -SMRPG- A series of drabbles in no particular chronological order.
1. Wicked

**Wicked**

Valentina was grateful for the unrelenting storm; the noise, at least, drowned out the baby's wailing. She clutched the bundle tightly as she made her way through the cloud kingdom's streets, blinking rainwater from her eyes. She was soaked and absolutely freezing, but she waited at the center of town– albeit impatiently.

She felt the cloud beneath her feet dip a bit, and through the rain she could make out a black shape.

"About time, you useless oaf!" Despite her shrieking, Valentina could barely hear her own voice. She thrust the child out at Dodo impatiently. "Take him away and deal with him! Don't ask me how; toss him in a river for all I care!"

Dodo merely blinked. Water collected on the end of his beak and dripped onto the baby, making the cries even louder.

"Do it now!"

With a futile ruffling of feathers, the large bird snatched the bundle up in his beak and disappeared into the storm. Valentina turned on her heel and hurried back to the castle, where she quickly slammed the brass doors behind her. The shawl around her shoulders was sopping wet, but rather than remove it entirely she merely made it look a little more disheveled.

After what she expected to be a sufficient time for Dodo to get away, Valentina took a deep breath.

"Guards! Guards!" She screeched. "Prince Mallow has been kidnapped!"

It didn't take long for the guards to find her, followed closely by a nightgown-clad King and Queen. Valentina glanced at them, then dropped to her knees in mock-shame. "Your Majesties! I... I tried to stop him- the masked man who took him- but... but...!" Here she threw her hands over her face, shoulders shaking with theatrical sobbing.

Queen Nimbus threw her hands up in despair. "My baby! My sweet Mallow!"

The King put an arm around his wife's shoulders, gesturing to the guards and saying, "Find this kidnapper immediately! Mallow mustn't be harmed!" And to the Queen: "Don't worry, Dear. We'll find him."

As the guards scrambled to leave the castle, Valentina chanced a peek through a gap between her fingers at the rulers of Nimbus Land. Or so they were for now, she thought to herself with a smirk.


	2. Present

**Present**

Raz grinned brightly to himself as he strolled down the street, bouquet in hand. Wrapped in the red gift paper was an array of wildflowers; each one the type he'd seen Raini stop to sniff many a time. The ribbon around it contained an extra gift: tied within the bow was a golden ring, set with a glittering diamond. Today marked the sixth anniversary of their relationship, and Raz felt such a milestone deserved something special.

He bounded up the walkway to her house and knocked with perhaps a little too much enthusiasm, hiding the bouquet behind his back.

"Coming!" Even from behind the door, Raini's voice was music to his ears. A moment later, the young mushroom woman opened the door, traces of flour on her arms and clothing. Her eyes widened , and for a quick moment she seemed to consider closing it again.

"Raz! I was... um... For today... I was making a cake. It's not ready yet. I didn't think you'd come over so early."

"I didn't think you'd be such a mess." Raz laughed and held the bouquet out, much to his love's delight. Raini took the bouquet without hesitation and sniffed at the flowers.

"Oh, they're b–" She stopped abruptly at the feeling of cold metal bumping against her finger, and she glanced down at the bouquet again. She brushed her fingertips over the ring, eyes shining as brightly as the jewel. "Oh... Oh! Really?!"

Raz shoved his hands into his pockets, trying hard not to grin like an idiot. "Well, only if you say yes."

"Of course I do, silly!" She threw her powdered arms about his shoulders, pulling him into a tender kiss. She mumbled against his lips more quietly, "I do."

The pair remained in their embrace for a while, perfectly content, until a passing shroom lady shouted something at them about public displays of affection.


	3. Night

**Night**

The wilderness was far from quiet at night. Aside from the distant growling and hooting of nocturnal creatures, there were the closer noises of crackling firewood and snoring. Bowser snorted and tossed another log onto the dying embers. Even after his duty of night watch was over, he doubted he'd get to sleep with such a racket.

The Koopa King stretched his arms and ambled away from the camp, taking a seat on the nearby uprooted tree he had deemed his post. A new sound added itself to the night, but this time it was the all-too-familiar rustling of silk. He didn't look up as his new companion stopped behind him.

"What're you up for?"

"I couldn't sleep," Peach whispered. Her voice was soft and feminine, especially when compared to his own gruff rumbling. "I'm not really used to such... conditions."

"Oh yeah?" Bowser smirked at her. "You'd think you'd be used to sleeping on the cold, hard ground after all those kidnappings!"

"You would think so..." Peach stifled a giggle. "Speaking of which, you've had plenty of opportunities to kidnap me so far. I'm surprised you haven't."

Bowser grunted in annoyance. "And take you where, my castle? _Oh, wait_." He rolled his eyes and reached back to roughly pull Peach closer to himself, possessively. She was so delicate and frail-looking, and so _tempting_ in her simple pink night slip. He leaned in closer, his snout inches from her face.

"Trust me, Princess. The minute I get the Keep back, you're mine."

Peach regarded him silently for a moment, seeming completely relaxed in his grasp, which had now loosened a bit. Finally she gave him a quick kiss on the scaly cheek before pulling free. "Good night, Bowser."

Bowser just grunted again, and returned his gaze to the surrounding forest.Only when Peach's gentle snoring joined the night did he allow himself a small smile.


	4. Androgyny

**Androgyny**

"Hey, Geno..."

The doll looked down at his fluffy companion, who seemed to have no trouble keeping up with the group despite his short legs. "Yes?"

"Are you a boy or a girl?"

"What kind of question is that?" Bowser reached out and rapped his knuckles on Mallow's head. "Of course he's a guy."

"Actually..." Geno glanced between the two curiously. "I suppose I'm neither. Because of how we are born, stars don't have any real need for genders."

"Oh..." Mallow frowned. Geno tilted his head slightly.

"Is something wrong?"

Mallow waved his arms for emphasis as he spoke. "Now I don't know if I should say 'he' or 'she' when I'm talking about you!"

"We have-a called him 'him' all this-a time..."

"But what if he-- or she-- would rather be a girl?" Peach moved closer to Geno to study him (or her), and gently pulled on the edges of his cape. "If you close this, it does almost look like a dress."

"You gonna put lipstick on him too?" Bowser snorted with laughter. "Let him keep being a guy. After all, men have power! Gwahaha!"

"Not powerful enough to keep your castle," the Princess giggled. Bowser's laughter was cut short.

"That's--! Hey! Point is, girls are sissies! You couldn't fight your way out of a paper bag!"

Bowser winced as Peach's frying pan slammed against his shell. Mario grinned over his shoulder at the Koopa. "You-a forget about the wrath of a woman."

"Anyway," Geno cleared his throat for effect, "Gaz did say this doll is male. Let's stick with that."

"I win," Bowser gloated, and hurried out of Peach's reach.


End file.
